Sam Darnold kept the football out of Kansas City’s hands for the entire second half of Seattle’s prime-time win over the Chiefs, and for a quarterback buried in turnover talk, that clean stretch told the real story for the Emerald City. Our starting QB finished 20-of-28 for 257 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against Patrick Mahomes and those previously unbeaten Chiefs. It was a gritty performance, one that NFL analyst and three-time Super Bowl champ Mark Schlereth immediately called a “redemption game” on Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Monday.
When The Stakes Were Highest, Darnold Delivered
Look, the numbers tell part of the tale. Darnold completed 7 of 10 throws for 79 yards after halftime. More importantly, he picked up a crucial 10 yards on a third-down scramble that kept a third-quarter field goal drive alive. That’s the kind of play the 12s have been absolutely craving. His defense had his back too, making that caution count. Leonard Williams and the entire front held Kenneth Walker, the NFL’s leading rusher and a former Seattle draft pick, to just 36 yards on 14 carries. Yeah, the Chiefs only put up three points in that half. That’s what we call complementary football, and it’s why we got that massive win against a team everyone thought was invincible.
Bouncing Back From The Brink
Now, let’s not pretend it was all sunshine and rainbows. The lone blemish came late in the first half, a red-zone interception that took at least three points off the board. Schlereth didn’t entirely pin that on Darnold, describing a mesh concept where our two targets collided on the end line. Still, he was clear: “But that’s one you gotta just fire out the back of the end zone.” He’s right, but here’s the kicker, the crucial part Schlereth emphasized: “The bottom line, though, is your ability to bounce back from that and not let it affect you, I think is huge.” And Darnold did it. Schlereth said it best, “He did look the part. He looked really, really sharp.”
This rebound wasn’t just a good half, it was a seismic shift after a brutal stretch. Darnold missed time with a glute injury, and in his absence, Drew Lock impressed over two games. Before this win, it had been rough: in Week 3, Darnold threw two interceptions against the Washington Commanders, including a pick-six in a tough 33-31 loss. After beating the Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle dropped three-point games to the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos, with Darnold tossing two picks in each. He’s currently tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions and ranks near the bottom among starters in passing yards and passer rating. This guy is playing under a $100.5 million, three-year contract, and he repaid it once with the franchise’s second Super Bowl title. The pressure is real, especially with Lock, through seven seasons, yet to prove himself a true QB1.
Schlereth believes what we all want to believe: “He’s just gonna make less of those boneheaded mistakes going forward.” If he’s right, all that chatter about Seattle escaping the final year of that contract? It should fade away faster than a missed field goal. We need that to be true. Let’s see that sharp, clean play continue and keep those boneheaded mistakes locked up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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